The present invention relates generally to manufacturing heavy equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for rotating heavy equipment to provide access for installation of components. The invention is useful, for example, for rotating industrial ovens to provide access to their underside for installation of components.
In the production of industrial equipment, it is often necessary to access the undersides of such equipment for installation of components. Typically, for heavy equipment, this requires several people to manually turn the equipment to expose the underside for installation of components. In addition, installation of components, which can be heavy and/or unwieldy, must often be performed at unsafe heights.
For example, in the production of certain industrial ovens, many components are mounted underneath the ovens. The units, which can weigh over 350 pounds, require at least two people to turn them to expose the underside. Further, these ovens are often assembled on workbenches three feet off the floor. Thus, components may be installed approximately five feet off the floor, requiring the use of stepladders. This approach is particularly unsafe for the installation of oven doors, which can each weigh over 50 pounds.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method for turning heavy equipment, which allows access to the underside of the equipment. There is also a need for an apparatus and method which can enable installation of components without the use of a stepladder. More particularly, there is a need for an apparatus and method, which can alleviate back stress and dangers posed by manually turning equipment, and installing components at unsafe heights. It is also desirable to provide a method and apparatus for mechanically rather than manually rotating heavy objects.
The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided having a two-part table top, wherein each part is independently pivotable.
In another aspect of the invention, the apparatus further includes a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the table top.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of rotating objects is provided wherein the parts of the table top are pivoted with a drive system thereby rotating the object.
The above and other features and advantages are achieved through the use of a novel heavy-object rotating apparatus as herein disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a work bench is provided for rotating heavy objects. The work bench includes a table top having a first portion and a second portion; a base; a drive system; and an engagement mechanism for reversibly locking the first portion and the second portion together; wherein, the first portion and second portion are independently, pivotally disposed on the base such that each can move between a first, lowered position and a second, raised position; and wherein the first portion is further operatively connected to the drive system.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the work bench further includes a first and a second up limit switch; wherein, when tripped by rotation of the first portion, the first up limit switch prevents the drive system from further rotating the first portion, either alone or when locked together with the second portion, and, when tripped by rotation of the second portion, the second up limit switch prevents the drive system from further rotation of the second portion when locked together with the first portion.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention a method for rotating heavy objects using the inventive apparatus is provided. The process includes:
engaging the drive system until the first portion reaches its second, raised position;
engaging the engagement mechanism thereby locking together the first portion and the second portion;
placing an object to be turned on the second portion; and
engaging the drive system until the first portion moves back to its first, lowered position.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.